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Sunday, February 24, 2013

An Open Letter to the Children in My Life

This past week was a school vacation week, and it's been a powerful time to dwell in the Big Questions as various circumstances converged. Yesterday I wrote down a "letter in verse" that was drifting through the air when I was tuned to that channel. Although it probably could stand on its own, I thought I'd provide a little context.This week I have reflected on my role in the lives of the children in my care and engaged in some deep and honest conversations with my teenagers. The teen years aren't easy ones - so many questions about "Who am I?" and "Where do I fit in?" and how to manage the challenging circumstances and conflicts that arise, with self-esteem intact. As I wrote in a previous post, I was blessed with a mentor who guided me throughout my teen years and beyond and became a dear friend. He passed on a week and a half ago, and I was honored to participate in an incredible celebration of his life last weekend. Rereading the letters he wrote me throughout my late teens and twenties made me realize how much patience is required of parents and mentors before they finally have the satisfaction of seeing kids "turn out" (in his words). You have to be really patient with the process!At the same time, my dad came home from a two-week hospital stay for open heart bypass surgery following an episode of cardiac arrest. There's something interesting about open heart surgery. There's a sense of appreciation for still being alive and a desire to "return" (in my dad's words) the outpouring of love, concern, and support from so many people. The heart truly does open up, and you feel closer and more connected to the people in your life. And when this happens to someone else, you are better able to provide support, having experienced it yourself as either a patient or family member.Finally, in the midst of a very challenging school year, I set the intention this week to reconnect with the passion and guiding values that led me to a career in education in the first place.If the following words resonate with you, I invite you to share them as long as you cite me as the author, along with this blog address. Namaste!

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An Open Letter to the Children in My Life

Dear Child:

The divinity in me

Sees the divinity in you

And from this perspective

Knows we are One,

Honors our differences

As expressions of the One;

We are brothers and sisters.

Our unique talents and gifts

Are to be celebrated

And cultivated to the fullest

So that we may inspire and uplift

Others through our exampleAnd experience the extraordinaryFlow of being in our element.

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RIVER BLISS HAS MOVED!

About Me

When you fall in love with a river, you find that it is connected with everything else.
Greetings from the Upper Hudson River! "River bliss" is my name for the state of consciousness I experience while floating on the river in my kayak. It is my medicine for inner peace, clarity, and creativity. This blog is my attempt to share beauty, peace, and awe through images and words that greet me in stillness on the river and in other sacred places. It is my greatest joy to awaken and inspire others through discovering and sharing magic moments, and I invite you to join me on this journey.